Pret With Me!
by Tsuyunoinochi Koukyo
Summary: When Himeno prets, the Knight gets hurt instead of her, right? Well, what happens if...Complete! Don't forget about the sequel, Umarewakaru!
1. Chapter 1

                                                                                    **_Prêt with me!_**

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******_Author's Notes: Okay, don't kill me if you don't like this!  For one, I wrote this at 5:30 am, so I was extremely tired, and two, I like when tragedy strikes.  So I hope you like my early morning work!_**

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****"Oh Hayate…this is going to be the most fun ever!" Himeno Awayuki exclaimed, throwing her arms around his neck.  He shoved her away and walked off.

                "Kei…" she smiled at the blonde dark skinned man in front of her, who was staring after Hayate. "Where is Sasame?"

                "He is finished at the radio station.  He should be here soon." Kei replied, turning to the 16 year old.

                It was a beautiful spring day, and Himeno and the Leafe Knights were going out for a picnic.  They were just waiting for Sasame to come, now.  Hayate was getting furious with Himeno, but yet he was worried.  Sasame had never taken this long before!  Was something wrong?  Was he hurt?  No, the others would feel it if he was.  But then…

                "Hey.  Did you wait long?" Sasame asked Hayate and Himeno, the latter who jumped a mile in the air and ran for cover behind Goh, who laughed.

                "Okay, time to go!" he called to Mannin and Hajime, who were playing around at a fountain in Himeno's front yard.  They nodded and ran over, smiling.

                "Wait, can we get a picture?" Himeno asked.

                "Yeah, sure." Sasame smiled and produced a camera in his left hand. "Get ready!"

                Himeno and the Leafe Knights got into position, and Hayate made the camera support itself as Sasame let go and stood next to Himeno.  The picture snapped, and Mannin cheered, smiling at Hajime.  Suddenly, Kei looked around at the surroundings, a puzzled look on his face.  Sasame and Himeno paid no attention to the worry that was in Kei, they were looking at the picture that had come out of the camera.

                "Oh, look!  I look so lame!" Himeno laughed and pointed to her face.

                "I look even worse." Sasame laughed with her.

                "Where is Shin?" Kei asked.  Mannin shrugged, and Hajime mirrored him.  Sasame and Himeno quickly straightened up, their faces stern.  The picture was quickly forgotten as Himeno shoved it into her pocket.

                "Shin!" Himeno called.  She turned helplessly to Sasame when no one answered her call.  He pricked up his ears and listened.  A second later, he went towards the bushes, where there was some rustling.  As Sasame neared it, Hajime called out:

                "Hey, Shin!"

                They boys excitedly pointed to their brother, of whom was advancing towards them.

                "Then what's…" Sasame backed away from the rustling bushes as a Demon Larvae sprung out, smacking Hayate who had been suspiciously nearing the bush with Sasame.

                "Hayate!" Kei called out, only to be whacked as well.

                "Shin!" Goh called as he was being neared by the creature.  Shin nodded and quickly summoned the battlefield as Goh shot fire out at the creature.

                Mannin shot some ice at the monster, but it only bounced off and hit Hajime, who tried to hit it with water, and that bounced off and hit Mannin.  The boys began to fight, and Hayate, who was now struggling to get up, yelled at them, his words cut off by Goh flying into Hajime.          

                Sasame ran towards Himeno, knocking her to the ground as a razor blade whipped over their heads.  Another emerged from the opposite side, and went for Hayate.

                "Himeno!" Mannin called as he was hit on the arm by the blade.  She replied by grabbing Sasame's hand.  The usual scene happened, and when it climaxed, she was the Pretear of Sound!

                (Come on Himeno!) Sasame's voice called to her.  Her face quickly grew red and she smile, but the smile was quickly knocked off her face as…

                "Himeno, look out!" Kei called, but it was too late.  The plant's razor blade caught her stomach and she heard Sasame call out in agony.  A single tear fell from her eyes as she recalled the pain she had caused Hayate.  And now…

                (Don't worry about me Himeno!)

                Another razor blade aimed for her, but she ducked, catching glimpse of Mannin and Hajime climbing up.  Shin stood in the corner, quiet.  He looked up at Himeno, his big green eyes fearful.  She was too late to realize the razor blade coming at her again.  She tried to kick at it, but it got her right across the ankle.  Sasame's scream didn't sound as painful, but Himeno still felt terrible.  She began to get discouraged as Hayate was knocked down once more.

                (Himeno, try the Sonic Whistle.  Just like I taught you.) She heard Sasame call, and she nodded.

                "Alright!" In a flash she had summoned the energy ball.

                (Fingers on your lips…) She did so, and blew as hard as she could, aiming everything toward the monster.  One of its tentacles burst, and the remaining razor blade swung towards her.  She screamed as it hit the side of her head.

                The sound that escaped from Sasame was loud and painful, terrorizing her and filling her heart with agony.  A second blow on her chest caused her to fall…

                And she was no longer wearing the Pretear of Sound outfit.  Sasame was next to her, but she didn't get the chance to see him.

                "Himeno!  Get up!  Get up!" Goh screamed.  As she climbed up, she saw the Knights still fighting, except for Hayate.  He was running towards Sasame, his eyes etched into those of worry.

                "Himeno!" Kei called. "Prêt with Shin!"  A moment later he was knocked down, as was Goh.  She saw the spots of blood on their chests and quickly moved to Shin.  He held out his arm as far as he could reach, and she grabbed it.

                Moments later, she was the Pretear of Plants!  She gazed once more back at Sasame's unmoving form, and then jumped into the air.

                (The core.  Where is the core?) Shin's voice asked.

                "In its tentacles!" Himeno cried.  She flew down to blast the remaining tentacle away, but…it had a hold of Mannin.  He was already bleeding badly from a wound on his side, but…

                "I can't!  If I hit the tentacle, then I'll hurt Mannin!" Himeno began to feel lost.  Maybe because Shin was a child, _she_ was beginning to feel like a child…

                A wind blast came up, cutting the tentacle in half, freeing Mannin.  Immediately as his feet touched the ground, he called to Hajime and ran:

                "Come on!  She's got it under control!"

                As Kei and Goh started running away, she heard Hayate whisper:

                "Under control.  Yeah right.  Look…look what she did to Sasame…"

                Kei and Goh were already running to their other friends.

                (Pay no attention to them.  Just concentrate on the creature.)

                "Okay…" She began to summon the powers of the plants.  All at once the battlefield disintegrated and the monster flaked into pieces and fell apart.

                They were back in the field, where Himeno immediately ran to Sasame.  The others were already there, and Hayate raised his head as she approached.  She couldn't see Sasame's body yet, but maybe…he wasn't hurt too critically.   

                Unfortunately for her, it was not her lucky day.  There were blood spots everywhere, and Sasame's eyes were barely open.

                "Sasame…" His name escaped her lips tragically.  She had the feeling that those beautiful lavender eyes were never going to open again.

                The other Knights were all hurt too, except Shin.  Goh was in pretty bad condition, the cut Himeno had first caused to Hayate had reopened, Kei's arm was bleeding, Mannin's side was bleeding, and Hajime?  He was curled up in a fetal position on the ground, but his eyes were open.  There was some blood on his back, but other than that there were no visible cuts.

                And here Himeno was standing, no scratches whatsoever.

                But then there was a pain in her side.  And blood falling from her fingertips.

                She was hurt.

                There was no recollection of her getting hurt while she was unclashed with a Knight, and Shin knew that she hadn't been, so…

                "Sasame…Sasame please, speak to me.  Sasame!" Hayate grabbed his friend's arm and began to shake it violently.  Sasame's eyelids didn't even flutter.

                "Sasame!" Tears floated down onto the pale man, mixing with his blood.  When no response came, Mannin, Hajime, and Shin all began to cry uncontrollably.  Even Kei and Goh got tears welled up in their eyes.  Tears saved only for lost comrades.

                And now was an occasion where they were needed.  And it was all Himeno's fault.

Author's Notes: Okay, so I've been getting a lot of feedback on this (mostly on Sasame's tragic loss) and since every review wanted another chapter, I will try my hardest to post one.  I will tell you that I am working on another Pretear fic much like Demented Ding's, (but not exactly, because that would be stealing!) It'll be more like just a weird Pretear world where Mawata takes Himeno's place.  I haven't started it yet, I've been so busy with a whole slew of Final Fantasy fics and a poor attempt at an Azumanga Daioh fic, but it might be up by the time school starts again.

**_And on the second chapter for this one, I can't promise anything right now, because I want the second chapter to fit perfectly into this plot, you know, tragic and all._**

**_On the case of Hayate's being mean to Himeno, I've only started watching Pretear on Anime Network On Demand, and on there, there are only episodes 1 and 2 (and now three!), and being too young to get a job (14) and having a mother who dislikes ordering off of the internet, I won't be able to see Hayate warm up to Himeno.  So just pretend you know nothing about the story except for the first 2 episodes, and use this as the third!  I'll try and make a fourth episode soon!_**


	2. Chapter 2

                                                            **_Prêt with me! Chapter 2_**

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Author's Notes: Okay, so I was surprised at how many reviews I got!  I never expected my story to blow over that well, wow!  And you all, thanks!  Next, actually I wasn't planning to make a second chapter!  I was just going to write a one shot and leave it that way, but everyone asked for another chapter!  So here it is, freshly written yesterday!

Himeno rushed down the street, her eyes filled with tears.  What was going on?  What did Sasame ever do to make the Fates harm him?  Sasame…so kind…so gentle…and he had died because of Himeno's poor fighting skills.

                (What would Sasame say to me?)

                She tried to smile through her tears, but only came up with more sorrow as the word 'would' rang a bell.

                (He would be here if it weren't for me.  Maybe I should just quit…I'm sure Hayate wouldn't mind.  I don't think the others would, either.  They had an occasion to shed tears, they lost a comrade…and…it was…me.  I did it.  I always do everything wrong!)

                Himeno let out a shout and blindly ran.  She didn't know where she was going-she just followed her heart.

                She ended up following her heart to a fountain.  Birds chirped cheerfully and frogs played on lily pads.  Himeno didn't want to be here.  This was the place where she had first met Sasame.  She had run into her front yard!

                (Kokoro baka!  I follow my heart and it brings me here!  Here, of all places!)

                She sighed, gazing at the place where Sasame had stood, his grin beaming out of triumph.

                _"Are you alright?"_ he had asked.

                _"Yes."_ Then Himeno had looked up, and she had seen Sasame, his amethyst eyes sparkling.

                _"Good.  I am glad."_ He had replied, widening his grin.  She had smiled and laughed uncertainly.

                "Oh, Sasame…" Tears flowed freely from Himeno's eyes, and she burst into loud tears.  She was sure her father could hear her, along with the rest of the household.

                "Why did you have to go?!  Why?!" A comforting hand rested on her back.  It was Sasame.

                The fans of Sasame's talk show, 'Words Gate with Sasame,' were extremely upset, and sent in postcards, candy, flowers, whatever they could to help the staff through the tough time, and also to comfort themselves.  A few people that were enormous fans of his committed suicide, their last words claiming to 'join Sasame.'

                Himeno knew Sasame would have been extremely surprised at how much attention his death drew.  He had always thought that he was just another person in Awayuki town, just another simple person.  He had no idea about the effect he had on some people.

"Sasame?" Himeno raised her eyes to the man that stood before her, his hand resting on her back and his purple eyes focused intently on her face, which was streaked with tears.

"Himeno…" she could hear him scolding her. "I'm fine.  Stop worrying about me, please, and return to your life."

                "Maybe…you're right, Sasame.  Maybe…your death had a purpose?  Will you…will you show me its purpose, Sasame?"

                She heard on response.  It was completely and utterly silent.

                A few days later, Hayate disappeared.  Kei and everyone else left him alone, because they knew-unfortunately-that Hayate's best friend was dead and that Hayate probably felt as small as an ant because he knew there was nothing he could or could have done to stop it-except to have taken Sasame's place in preting with Himeno.

                "We have to go after him!" Goh shouted, the only one against leaving Hayate outside, alone.  Mannin pulled on his coat and pointed at the sleeping Shin, who was beginning to stir slightly.  Small tears swarmed the toddler's face as Kei, Goh, and Mannin fought endlessly over Hayate's sudden disappearance and over Sasame's death.

                "Guys!" Someone banged harshly at the door.  A female.  Himeno.  When no one else moved to open it, Mannin shrugged and walked over, pulling the door open as far as he could manage.

                "Hey, Hime." Mannin had taken to calling her that, since she was the Princess of Light and it was a slang for her name.  "What's wrong?" He asked as soon as he saw the look of worry etched into her face.

                "I…I think I have a new power." She said.

_Author's Notes: Ah ha, a cliffhanger!  I'll write another chapter, don't worry!  I don't know when I'll get it done though, because of other stuff that has come up.  Oh well, I'll find time.  Until then, I'll leave you to your fretting over Sasame and Himeno.  And like I said before, imagine that you've only seen the _**first two****episodes**_, and that the first chapter was episode 3, and this chapter was episode 4.  I changed the storyline, okay?_


	3. Chapter 3

**_Prêt with me! Chapter 3_**

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Author's note: So here it is, the long awaited last chapter! So I left you with a cliffhanger last time! You know, I wasn't actually going to do that, but Himeno's last words conveniently fit onto the last page, so I decided to leave it as a cliffhanger, so you could suffer and sweat out your wait until I posted this chapter! No, really I just wanted more time to write this.

Well, I know you're dying to find out if Sasame is revived or not, so I'll leave you to the (hopefully!) last chapter!

"A new power? But…" Goh's mouth dropped open about a foot, while Kei paced the room, his eyes closed and his forehead creased in thought, and Mannin stood close near Himeno, who was still waiting for Kei's reaction. Finally he turned to her.

"A new power? A new Leafe?" he asked.

"Yes." Himeno replied.

"But new Leafe can only be created when the Pretear and a Leafe Knight merge and become one!" Mannin said, his face twisted with confusion.

"I know…which is why I'm here."

"Do you feel the power? Do you know it's inside?" Goh asked.

"Yes, there is a power inside for sure. But…I don't know what it is, or who it's from…"

"We should go outside and test it." Kei said.

"Why?" Mannin asked.

"So she can use it-whatever it is-and we can see what it can do."

(Himeno.)

"Sasame?" Himeno looked up, expecting to see her friend.

"Sasame?" Goh looked puzzled, and for good reason.

(No, don't use the power. It is only for an emergency.)

"What kind of emergency?" Himeno asked.

(When you really, truly need it. You were right, there is a power inside of you, but it will only activate when your heart needs it to.)

"What is my power?"

(You will see…)

"Himeno!" she heard Hajime's voiced call. "Himeno, are you alright?"

"Huh? Hajime, where's Sasame?" Himeno asked the orange haired boy. The room came into focus, and she saw the depressingly sad faces of Shin, Hajime, Kei, Goh, and Mannin. Shin had tears streaking down his face, his emerald eyes gleaming.

"Sasame…Himeno, you don't…" Kei cut his voice off at the end, his face confused.

"…Remember?" Mannin finished. They stared at Himeno expectantly.

"Remember what?" she shrugged helplessly.

"Sasame is dead." Kei told her.

"No, he can't be! I was just talking with him about my new power; I'm certain he was the one who gave it to me!"

"Why don't you show it to us, then?" Goh asked.

"No!"

"Why?" Hajime asked.

"Sasame said I should only use it in the case of an emergency!"

"We should just leave her alone. She needs some rest." Goh told Kei and Mannin. They nodded and left, with Hajime following. Shin stayed for a second, his watery eyes on Himeno's face. As he looked into Himeno's eyes, she began to remember what had happened. She saw Sasame's face as he died, saw the blood pouring out from beneath his body. She saw his beautiful amethyst eyes gazing at her, lifeless and dull. What light was shining in them left slowly, draining his life as well.

"Sasame!" she called to him, but his eyes were unhearing and his eyes unseeing. She watched his stomach slow, and eventually stop, the head rolling over to the side, dead.

He was gone.

"Oh!" she cried out, seeing the empty room. "Shin?" There was no reply from the little boy. There was no reply from anyone at all.

She was alone.

Several hours later, Kei and Goh ran in with the news. Hajime and Mannin had found Hayate's body, lifeless. Apparently he had died shortly after Himeno had 'talked' to the deceased Sasame. By now, she was extremely saddened with Sasame's recent parting on her mind, and now Hayate's bore on her conscience as well.

"Sasame…I want the power now…"

She waited for a reply, but her mind displayed no response.

"Sasame?"

Later that night, Himeno sat in her room, thinking.

"Mom…I'm so lost…help me. I…I miss Sasame…I miss Hayate…I miss you."

(Himeno…)

"S-Sasame?!" she gazed around the room, looking for her lost friend. But she knew in her mind that he was in her heart only, nothing more.

(Your power is ready, Himeno. Are you ready to use it?)

"What does it do? How does it work? What do I lose?" Himeno shuddered. The last four words had not been on her list of things to say. So why did it come out? It felt like…someone else had said them for her…

(Your depression over my…departing, and Hayate's afterward, brought on a new power, called the Resurrection Powers. How it works…you must think of whom you want to resurrect, and transfer that name to your soul. There, they will be brought back. But the price for it all is…your life. Now, whether you choose to use the powers or not is up to you, but think it well through.)

"Sasame…I want to bring you back. And I want Hayate too. But…I can't choose two, can I?"

(No.)

Himeno felt tears seep into her eyes, and she let them roll down her face. The heat of the tiny but meaningful drops of water brought back memories of Sasame…and of…

"I want you back, Sasame. I want you here." She sat up and said, wiping the tears from her eyes.

(Obviously you need more time. Think it through well, Himeno.)

She felt the power being drawn away, seeping out of her. No…not quite that…but it was lessening. She sank onto her bed, the tears beginning to come back. This time, no attempt was made to push them aside.

"Mom…please help me. I really need you…"

The next day, she was at the extremity of pain. All through the night she'd had thoughts of Sasame and Hayate jumbled together, telling her to resurrect one or the other, ripping her poor, already tortured body into smaller chunks, widening the gap between her sanity and her mind. She felt trapped and depressed, lonely and afraid. And so she went to three people who were the ones she could trust.

Shin, Hajime, and Mannin. Perhaps they could help. Or perhaps she would hand them a burden that their minds couldn't take at the moment.

They already were overly burdened at the moment, as Himeno kind of figured. But, by the pleading look in Shin's watery emerald eyes, she knew she had to use her powers soon, and make the right choice.

"So, who should I choose?" she asked the three boys, having already explained the story to them.

"Sasame!" Mannin said, his eyes becoming foggy.

"Hayate." Hajime rubbed the tears away from his own steamy eyes.

Shin gazed at Himeno quizzically, apparently seeing something she did not.

"Pick someone who is important to you. Don't pick for us…pick for yourself." He whispered. "Or don't pick at all."

(Himeno.) Sasame's voice arose from within her. (He is right. Tell me when you've decided-and don't make a decision so quickly. Ponder it, give it some thought. We have all the time in the world.)

'Yes.' Himeno thought. 'But I don't want Kei, Goh, Mannin, Hajime, or Shin to suffer anymore…'

She thanked the small children and began to leave. At her last glance back, she caught the sad and astonished look on Shin's face. He knew her plans. And…he was smiling.

Down the road, she walked slower and slower, feeling weaker with every step.

(Himeno!)

A Demon Larvae leaped out from behind her and lashed at her back. It made a long thin line of blood rush down through her clothes, the warm red liquid making her aware of the stinging pain.

Then, her fear grew as she realized that the Leafe Knights wouldn't be able to make it here in time, that she was probably going to die.

Two more lines of blood became active as the monster stuck her again. Her strength sapped slowly as the long tentacle of the Larvae became a blur, snapping at every uninjured part of her body. Tiny squirts of blood ran down her arm, her leg, her…her neck. The pain was fiercely intense now, and she felt ready to give up…ready to die.

"Mom…" she cried as the life seeped out of her…

When she woke up, it was all white. She didn't even bother to glance around, but she instinctively looked down. She somehow expected to see Sasame down on the now-empty street, where the Demon Larvae had once been, but instead it was…

"Am I…dead?" She asked, meaning it for herself. A hand rested on her shoulder, and she turned around, looking directly into amethyst eyes. Sasame…

Hayate stood behind Himeno's friend, his blue eyes glinting. Not in fury, but in…happiness.

"You are dead, Himeno, But look upon who you've brought back into the world." Sasame pointed to the tiny hole in the clouds. She looked down, and she saw her mother standing in front of Himeno's dead body, sobbing uncontrollably.

"Mom…I resurrected her?" Himeno smiled.

"When I was in your consciousness, I heard your heart aching for your mother. You wanted her back most. That's why I stalled you." Sasame smiled, tiny drops forming in the corners of his eyes. "You didn't want me, or Hayate. You wanted your mother."

"But what about the other Leafe Knights? Won't they be…"

"Don't worry. They'll be fine."

And so Himeno, Sasame, and Hayate lie down near the hole and watched Himeno's mother, sent her small signs of happiness.

Author's Notes: So…did you like? I tried my hardest to make this a good story, and I hope you all liked it. Reviews will most defininately be appreciated! And now, don't forget to check out the sequel, Umarewakaru (born again)!


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